The present invention relates to a system and method for preventing water from seeping into a building, and in particular relates to a drainage system for a building.
The seepage of water into a building has been a problem which constantly plagues the construction industry. This has been a problem for buildings which have basements as well as buildings on a slab. In particular, the seepage problem has plagued buildings having a below ground foundation wall.
It is known that the foundation wall of a building is most often made from hollow concrete blocks, and water is able to pass from the exterior surrounding ground of the building through cracks, holes, natural pores, etc. in the block into hollow cavities of the block and thence to the basement floor. Even if the foundation wall is made from solid blocks or poured concrete, water may seep into the basement through cracks and by capillary action.
Numerous drainage systems and methods have been developed. In one known system drain tiles having holes therein for receiving water are located around the outside perimeter of a building such as around the outside perimeter of the basement floor and in a deep trench at or below the level of the footer. The drain tiles form a pipe line which directs water to a storm or sanitary sewer. After a period of time, the drain tiles become non-functioning due to collapsing, blockage separation, etc., and water accumulates at the bottom of the foundation wall, with a resultant build-up of hydrostatic pressure. This water then seeps through cracks, holes, pores, etc. in the foundation wall and into the basement. To correct this problem, the drain tile must be replaced. However, replacement of a non-functioning tile is a very cumbersome operation which requires digging a trench along the foundation wall. This is not only troublesome, it can cause shifting of the building and structural damage. Further, digging a trench requires a backhoe, operation of which would damage the adjacent lawn, etc. This is an extremely costly operation. Also, such drain tiles located outside the perimeter of the basement do not effectively handle water buildup beneath the basement floor.
Another system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,287,866. U.S. Pat. No. 3,287,866 discloses a system in which a trench is formed along the inside of a foundation wall next to the footer and beneath the basement floor or the like. Perforated drain tiles are placed in the trench and form a pipe line which directs water to a storm or sanitary sewer. The drain tiles are surrounded by gravel. Drainage openings are provided in the bottom portion of the foundation wall beneath the basement floor. The water flows through these openings into the gravel and to the drain tile from which the water flows into a sewer. Such a system relies on the water to drain downwardly through the concrete blocks. If the blocks have cracks in the interior of the foundation wall, the water will sweep through such cracks. Thus, this system is not particularly effective.
To eliminate or reduce seepage of the water through cracks between the foundation wall and the basement floor, an expansion plate has been used. As the basement floor contracts such as upon solidifying, the expansion plate expands taking up the space between the foundation wall and the floor. Use of such an expansion plate is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,193.
The object of the present invention is to provide a system which minimizes the above-identified problems in the prior art and specifically (i) handles water buildup beneath the building, (ii) minimizes seepage of water through the block into the building interior above the basement floor, (iii) eliminates the need to dig a deep trench adjacent a foundation wall and the attendant problems, and (iv) is safer to install.